Sweden earmarks €430,000 to support Belarus’ political prisoners

May 21, Pozirk. Sweden will allocate about €430,000 for the international fund supporting Belarusian political prisoners, the Parłamiencki Kanał Telegram channel reports, citing Johan Forssell, Sweden’s minister for international development cooperation.
Forssell made the planned announcement at the 2024 Stockholm Conference on Belarus, pledging support to its democratic aspirations.
In late April, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced the transfer of €850,000 to the fund, set up by Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja and administered in cooperation with the Norwegian foreign ministry.
Belarusian initiatives that help political prisoners are in charge of the fund, providing medical and psychological help, rehabilitation and funding opportunities to former political prisoners and families of people who suffered from politically-motivated persecution in Belarus.
Cichanoŭskaja came up with the fund’s idea after jailed Belarusian human rights champion Aleś Bialacki was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
As of May 21, human rights defenders identified at least 1,374 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented. Opposition sources estimate the number of political prisoners at around 5,000.

Opposition leader calls for support of political prisoners on solidarity day
- PoliticsCichanoŭski denies plans to replace wife as opposition leaderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsUK’s Starmer: Cichanoŭski’s release “a moment of hope”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsEU leaders welcome pardon of 14 prisoners, urge release of allThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka’s spokeswoman: release of Cichanoŭski – act of humanismThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsUS diplomat on Minsk visit: President Trump encouraged this tripThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarusian ambassador presents credentials to Leo XIVThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- Politics
- PoliticsReprisals: police raids target Novaja Biełaruś application’s usersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBiełavija resists sanctions, plans new long-haul routeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja thanks Spain for prisoner aidThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarusian woman detained in Poland for transporting undocumented migrantsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Security
- Politics, SecurityDefense minister voices concern about armed conflicts in Ukraine, Middle EastThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsLatvia bars eight luxury bikes from entering BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SocietyProminent businessman Atroščanka dies of cancerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityŁukašenka meets with Russia’s chief investigatorThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsInterior ministry brands 27 people as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+